Iron sheet piling



Oct. 1, 1935. K. WILLNER' 2,016,064

IRON SHEET FILING Filed May 8, 1953 Ina anion a4 7 h z/ine Patented Oct.1, 1935 PATENT OFFICE IRON SHEET PILING Kurt Willner, Munster inWestphalia, Germany, assignor to the firm Vereinigte StahlwerkeAktiengesellschaft, Dusseldorf, Germany Application May 8, 1933, SerialNo. 670,005 In Germany December 15, 1930 7 Claims. (01. 61-62) Thisinvention relates to sheet iron piling, such as employed in reinforcingdams and the like; more particularly, it relates to piling built up of aseries of sheet metal sections successively positioned and joined bybulb and claw connections, the members of which are respectively carriedby flanges projecting from opposite sides of each section. The chiefadvantage of a bulb and claw connection is due to the fact that eachsection can be driven into the earth with the bulb flange in advance toengage the claw of the preceding section. By driving the bulb flange inadvance, the earth offers less resistance to the forward movement of thesection then would be oflered should the claw flange be driven ahead. Asthe head of the claw is much larger transversely than the bulb, it wouldbe more diiflcult to force the former through the earth. Furthermore,should the claw flange be driven in advance, the opening in the clawhead would be packed with earth to prevent the entrance of the bulb ofthe previously positioned piling section.

In the known types of sheet piling, employing the bulb and clawconnection, the bulb flange is as long, transversely of the section, asis the claw flange, or longer than the same. In such structure thecomparatively long bulb flange is not reinforced to the -same extent asthe claw flange reinforced by the transverse thickness of the claw head.When such a section is driven into the earth with the elongated bulbflange in advance, the latter is liable to be bent and deformed by theresistance of the earth, particularly so should the earth contain stonesand other obstacles to the forward movement of the bulb flange. Shouldthere be considerable deformation of the bulb flange, the bulb would notengage the claw head of the preceding section and leaking through thepiling would result.

The object of the present invention is to prevent deformation of thebulb flange. This is accomplished by making the bulb flange considerablyshorter in the transverse direction of the piling section, or by makingthe bulb flange of considerable thickness, to reinforce the flange;also, the bulb flange may be made both shorter and thicker to strengthenthe same.

By way of example, the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, which shows several embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing the several figures show end views of piling sectionsembodying the different modifications of the invention. Fig. 1 shows aU-shaped pile section in which the bulb flange is considerably shorterthan the claw flange.

Fig. 2 shows a U-shaped pile section built-up of two sub-sections, eachof which sub-sections includes a bulb-flange shorter and thicker thanthe claw flange. Fig. 3 shows a zig-zag pile section with a claw flangeand a bulb flange thicker 5 than the claw flange, and with the web ofthe pile section thickened toward the bulb flange. Fig. 4 shows azig-zag pile section built-up of two sub-sections, each of whichsub-sections includes a short thick bulb flange and a web thickenedtoward the bulb flange, and each of the sub-sections having areinforcing rib mounted on its claw flange to provide'a claw head.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the pile is formed of a single ironsheet, and its web 0 is generally U-shaped. Projecting from one edge ofthe web is the bulb flange a, and from the other edge projects the clawflange b. In the transverse direction of the pile, the bulb flange isconsiderably shorter than the claw flange. When the pipe is drivenahead, in the direction indicated by the arrow, to engage the precedingpile, owing to the comparatively short length of the bulb flange, theliability of deformation of this flange by the resistance of the soil ismuch less than it would be should the flange have considerable length,similar to the claw flange. It is to be noted that the Web of the piledoes not extend beyond the bulb and claw flanges in a transversedirection of the pile.

As shown in Fig. 2, the body of the pile is generally U-shaped, butcomprises two longitudinal sub-sections; each of which is of a zig-zagformation and consists of a web 0 a bulb flange a and a claw flange 11The bulb flange is of less length than the claw flange and hasconsiderablethicknessto further strengthen the same.

In positioning this pile, each section or subsection is driven ahead inthe direction of the arrow so that the bulb flange a engages the clawflange of the preceding sec-tion or sub-section. Owing to thecomparatively short length of the bulb flange and its considerablethickness, this flange will be less liable to deformation by theresistance of soil than the bulb flange of Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 3, the pile is formed of a single iron sheet, and itsweb 0 is of zig-zag formation. Projecting from one end of the web in atransverse direction is the bulb flange a and from the other end of theweb projects the claw flange b The bulb flange a is thickened and theweb 0 is thickened toward the bulb flange, as at d. The thickening ofthe bulb flange and web reinforce the pile to withstand the resistanceof the sists of a web 0 and at one transverse end projects the shortthick bulb flange (1 toward which the web thickens, as at e. Projectingfrom the other transverse end of the web is the claw flange b mounted onthe end of which is the reinforcing strip ,7 to provide the claw head tobe engaged by the bulb flange of a succeeding section or.

claw connection, the sheet piles of the piling consisting of at leastone web, a bulb flange and a claw flange, the web being not extendedbeyond the flanges, and the bulb flange which is driven in ahead in theramming direction being shortened relative to the claw flange.

2. Undulated iron sheet piling with bulb and claw connection, the sheetpiles of the piling consisting of at least one web, a bulb flange and aclaw flange, the web being not extended beyond the flanges, and the bulbflange which is driven in ahead in the ramming direction being shortenedand thickened relative to the claw flange. 3; Undulated iron sheetpiling with bulb and claw connection, the sheet piles of the pilingconsisting of at least one web, a bulb flange and a claw flange, thebulb flange being shortened relative to the claw' flange, and the webconnected with the bulb flange-being thickened towards the same in anincreasing manner.

4. Undulated iron sheet piling with bulb and claw connection, the sheetpiles of the piling consisting of at least one web, a bulb flange and aclaw flange, the bulb flange being thickened relative to the clawflange, and the web connected with the bulb flange being thickenedtowards the same in an increasing manner.

5. Undulated iron sheet piling with bulb and claw connection, the sheetpiles of the piling consisting of at least one web, a bulb flange and aclaw flange, the bulb flange being shortened and thickened relative tothe claw flange, and the web connected with the bulb flange beingthickened towards the same in an increasing manner. 6. Undulated ironsheet piling with bulb and claw connection composed of sheet piles whichconsist of at least one web, a claw flange arranged at the one endthereof and a bulb flange arranged at the other end in an oppositedirection, said bulb flange which is driven ahead in the rammingdirection being shorter than the claw flange.

'7. Undulated iron sheet piling with bulb and claw connection composedof sheet piles which consist of at least one web,a'claw flange arrangedat the one end thereof and a bulb flange'arranged at the other end in anopposite direction, said bulb flange which is driven ahead in theramming direction being shortened and thickened relative to the clawflange.

KURT WILLNER.

